7 Tips for Taking Your ID Card Design to the Next Level

You know just how important it is to stand out from the crowd. After all, why be average when you can be spectacular?

The same can be said for your ID card design. You don’t want to settle for basic. In fact, you don’t want to settle at all; only the best card design is worthy of being on your card.

So what exactly will it take to get a design that’s nothing short of superior? Perhaps not as much as you might have thought.

Building the perfect identity card design is a matter of knowing how to mix the right colors and creating a background that fits the business or client. We’re going to show you exactly what it takes to do just that.

7 Ways You Can Level Up Your ID Card Design

You’re about to learn a lot about what it takes to get the ID card of your dreams. Keep reading to find out what you need to know to make the magic happen.

Remember Space for the Info

Before you go too crazy with the design, you need to remember that you’ll want space for what you’ll actually place on the card.

Don’t pick backgrounds that would completely cover your wording or make it hard to read. By extent, you shouldn’t try to fit too many words on the card (a card can only hold so much, people).

Keep the text visual and at the forefront of the card, and there shouldn’t be a problem.

Orientation is Key

Which way do you want your card to be read? The orientation of the card is a big deal to how the design will come out.

There is no correct answer to how a card should be displayed, so it really just comes down to what you need from it.

Ask yourself: What’s the best way for the text to display? Are there any electronic parts, and where will they be on the card? Will there be a clip or lanyard in involved? These things are important to know.

Dark Colors or Light?

The age-old question of whether to use dark or light colors designs still lingers to this day.

Both dark and light colors have their advantages and disadvantages for identity card designs. Dark colors are easier on the eyes and make your card easier to view, while light colors give your card more life and put customers at ease.

Test out both light and dark colors to see which one best fits your style.

Single VS Dual-Sided

Whether you get a single-sided card or a double-sided card will have an effect on your overall design.

Getting single-sided cards means that you have the challenge of placing everything on one side, but the design tends to be more uniform.

Meanwhile, dual-sided cards have the ease of being able to use both sides to place a lot of information, but you have to be extremely careful to make sure the wording and background work on both sides.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference – and how much you think you need to squeeze onto the card.

Photos, Anyone?

You can’t have a photo ID card without the photo, so this is a pretty important thing to consider with it comes to design.

How big will your picture be? The bigger the picture is, the higher the resolution, but the more space it will take up on the card. It’s vice versa for smaller photos.

What Type of Typeface?

If you’ve ever used InDesign or another text-centered design software, you know that there are a ton of typefaces to choose from.

You need to carefully consider which typeface to use, because each one conveys a different message to ones wearing or viewing the card.

Don’t go for something that will make you look like a walking Microsoft Word file (Calibri, anybody?) or something extremely generic (for the last time, that means no Papyrus).

There are plenty of options for you to choose from, so go through and make sure you find the one that suits your tastes.

Call Security

Believe it or not, security features play into the attractive nature of your card.

Each building you work in has a specific way it handles security measures. Your card has to match those security measures, which means it needs to be implemented in your design.

If you are using a dual-sided card, you may have a bit of a challenge adding the computer security features if the back of the card is covered in text and art.

If you have text that’s too small, it may be difficult to authenticate your identity (this is especially a problem for one-sided cards).

In the end, you’ll need to find a happy balance between visible text and space for your key card entry area if you use a chip or swipe option to get into restricted areas.

Once you have an idea of how you want the badge done, you’re going to want a company that can do it right the first time. We suggest you try Bodno ID Card Printers. They’ll know exactly what you’ll need to get the cards you want.

Alright, designer. It’s time for you to get to work.

Everything You Need to Know About Photo Design

Now that you know what it takes to create an epic ID card design, you need to know what else you can do to level up your business. Luckily for you, you don’t have to look any further.

Here, at PSD Learning, we have all of the know-how to help you become a photo design boss. Check us out to learn all about logo design, Photoshop How-To’s, niche designs, special effects, and so much more.

Have a design idea you’d like for us to write about? Why not let us know? Just send us a message and tell us what’s on your mind. We’d love to hear what you think.